04. Table Full of Eyes

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Partner In Crime
04. Table Full of Eyes
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Vivian stood in the shower, letting the water run down her skin. The tears that poured from her eyes mixed with the flow and joined it down the drain.

Her hands rubbed the soap into her skin, washing away the months of dirt and grime. The shampoo smelled of lavender, giving her hair a new feeling of silk.

Her skin was now soft to the touch, other than the scars that gave her skin texture. The bumps of where the slits in her skin still gave her skin a feeling she was ashamed of.

The scars covered her entire body except for her head and hands. Otherwise, they covered every inch of her.

Her legs, arms, back, abdomen, they were all covered.

They had no rhyme or reason behind the placement, other than the fact they were placed where they could be covered, and made the brunette feel embarrassed.

After years of torture, she was free, but she was still forced to look at the left over marks.

Snapping out of her thoughts? The girl turned the water off and wrapped the towel she had set aside around her body. She stepped out of the shower, eyes glancing over to the mirror for just a moment. Her eyes widened at the sight.

She turned to fully face her reflection, making her way over to the sink. She leaned over the counter and slowly reached up, brushing her finger tips along her cheeks. She looked at herself, mouth open ever so slightly.

She was beautiful. Warner was right.

She smiled lightly as herself, but her eyes fell to the scars the littered her body and her smile faded.

Other than her face and hands, every inch of her was covered in scars. She couldn't bear to look at herself any longer.

So she pushed passed the door and out of the bathroom. She crossed her room and made her way to the large, white wardrobe. She placed her hand on the door and opened it, a soft gasp escaping her lips as she sees the amount of dresses it held inside.

She pulled out the first one she took interest in.

It was a light purple. It was littered with gold flakes, and had lace around the seams. It was tight around the chest, and puffed out around the waste. The dress went down to her ankles as she held it to herself, and seemed to be the perfect size for her.

But there was one flaw.

The were no sleeves.

She frowned, setting it on the bed. She then returned to the wardrobe and began to look for another dress. But none of them had sleeves. None.

Her heart sank. Her mind began to race as her stomach did a flip. Her hands began to shake as she begins to panic. She hugs herself, trying to cover her arms as tears slipped from her cheeks.

She couldn't let people see her. Not with her scars.

But she had no other choice.

Her mind spun as she slowly and dreadfully made her way back to the bed. She gently picked up the dress she had set down, and made her way back to the bathroom.  She closed the door and slipped easily into the dress.

It fit her perfectly, hugging her tightly around the breasts. It was beautiful, but the sight of her scars made her insecure.

She couldn't look past her wounds to see the beauty in the clothes she wore.

But she had no other choice.

She gently ran a hand along her past wounds before wiping the stray tear that made its way down her cheek. She then took in a deep breath, letting it out through a shaky exhale.

With nerves pooling in her gut and an anxiety she was all too familiar with filling her chest, she exited the bathroom.

She's surprised to see a soldier sitting in the bed.

"Oh." She said softly before she could help herself. She quickly covered her mouth as the boy looked her way.

His eyes widened at the sight of her he immediately stood, wiping off his pants. His face wore and embarrassed expression, but it faded as his gaze met hers.

It was replaced with awe as his eyes traced her body.

Vivian's gaze fell, a pink tint covering her cheeks. She tried her best to cover her skin with the own arms, but it was no use. The embarrassment took over and two shadowy hands flickered in front of her eyes.

The man's eyes widened even more. "Holy shit" he said. He covers his mouth. Embarrassment forms on his face again as his gaze falls. "Sorry." He mumbles, dropping his hands to his sides.

A small smile forms on Vivian's lips as the hands in front of her vanish.

"Oh!" He said suddenly, as if realizing he had something to say. "Yeah- uh- I'm here to take you to dinner. Warner is looking forward to it by the way. Oh- and uh- my name is Kenji."

"Vivian." She replies softly, sticking a hand out.

The boy hesitates, as if scared to touch her, then grabs it, shaking it aggressively.

"Follow me." He says gently. "Warner won't be too happy if you're late." He pauses to open the door, moving to let the girl exit, then closes it. He locks it. "If you ask me, he's got a stick up his ass, but apparently I'm the only one who thinks so."

"Yeah, that ass of his saved mine, so I'm not complaining." Vivian chimed in.

For some reason she found it so easy to talk to the boy despite just meeting him. Perhaps it was the constant smile on his lips, or the chipper tone laced in his words.

The two entered the elevator, conversing softly as they made their way down to ground level. They quieted down as the doors dinged and opened, then stayed silent as the made their way down the hall.

When they reached the two large doors at the end, Kenji pushed them open, allowing Vivian to enter.

But she froze in the doorway.

A table full of eyes stared back at her. At her scars.

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Partner In Crime, Aaron WarnerWhere stories live. Discover now